I posted a photo of the kids' cardigan on FB/IG yesterday and my Aunt Arlene (who will be 93 in a few months) commented, "You knit just like your Grandma. Maybe more."

(I might have to print that quote and frame it!)

Here's Junah modeling said sweater. Lordy, it's going to be handed down to Ginny pretty quick, I think! The kids are all growing so fast.

And a better view of where I'm at. It's been super busy around here, but I managed to steam block the buttonhole band, collar, and pocket trim, and I got half a sleeve sewn in.

Ann & I shopped for buttons last week but the selection was not very plentiful nor inspiring, and I think the ones I settled for are too big, anyway. I'll be headed to BOSTON (Cambridge) with Annie next week for a long weekend -- some of it work-related for her, but all pleasure for me! It dawned on me this morning that there are probably some pretty nice shops there that have buttons. I've already added Gather Here and Mind's Eye Yarns to my list (both are within a few miles of our hotel) and would love to hear suggestions if anyone has any. Hopefully, I'll have made some progress with the sewing up by then!

We had a birthday celebration for Junah on Thursday at Ann's.

I just can't believe he's 9 already!

Yesterday, everyone came over to my house for another get together (do 'em while we can!).

It doesn't take long for the place to get trashed (in a good way) (and they clean up... eventually) and this was before Lincoln Logs were wedged in.

The girls have been finding their own spots -- Ginny favors the space under the stairs and Malina had herself pretty well set up in the cardboard playhouse.

The Garden Room was quiet enough for naptime. So sweet!

Creativity has been flowing, too.

Ann gave the girls some "crafty" gifts on Thursday and Malina sat right down to work on hers!

Ginny came in our back door yesterday, spotted something that she wanted to draw, and immediately got supplies together. She's kind of blowing us all away... she's only 6! My girls were always a bit advanced in the area of art -- IT'S IN THE BLOOD -- but this is beyond, and to that I give credit to the internet for all the amazing tutorials that are out there, and to the pandemic for super-sizing what's available.

Rusty & Addie are teaming up to build a Little Free Library to install at Ann's house! They drew up some designs, decided on a plan, and have been working on it for a couple of mornings, so far. Eventually, it'll be painted to match the house. It's going to be so cute!

Sheesh. Time flies! Holiday Hoopla is approaching -- Kate arrives this Sunday, and Ann & family arrive a week later! Thankfully, for many reasons, our holiday get-together at work is going to be between Christmas & New Year's, and that's a relief; Rusty doesn't have much going on group-/party-wise, either, and I'm not sad.

That leaves more time for stress-relieving fun (and Christmas tree avoidance)!

I set my alarm again on Saturday for another workshop with Mel Kolstad at Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum. This time it was gel printing. I'd been aware of this event since the previous workshop I took with Mel, but I didn't really know what "gel (or gelli) printing" was... and I stupidly didn't ask nor did I even google it. On Thursday evening, out of the blue, I came across a video on FB of one of my friends (my birthday twin, actually) doing a demo of gel printing! "More fun than a barrel of monkeys filled with a hundred barrels full of monkeys," she said! I checked my calendar and signed up for Mel's workshop on the spot.

I posted cropped versions of all three of the photos above on IG, and I just want to point out a few things. They just hosted a 3-day event called Wayzgoose, which draws participants from all over the world, so there were a lot of fresh posters! I love how even the signs on the recycle & trash bins are hand-pulled prints! There are five cabinets/cases full of wood type in that middle photo -- there are two more to the left and one to the right that are not shown -- and that's just the "public" type!

Turns out, it is more fun than a bunch of monkeys in a barrel! Mel is an enthusiastic and generous teacher, and it was a fun group of 10 women. I did nothing but experimental gel printing in the morning -- oh, man, there's so much possibility! You can see some of that work on IG! In the afternoon, I set up a Showcard press and did some printing. You can't see any of that work because I think some of it might become gifts.

I can't wait 'til the next one, either, Mel!

_ _ _ _ _

In other news, I'm grappling with holiday decorating... or, rather, decorations... in that I have too much. And as much as I'd rather not, I think I'm going to put up the big tree, as usual, haul it (the trimmings) all out this year, and do the deed. Trust me, I've considered a bunch of other -- easier -- options, but the thought of all that STUFF up in the closet for another year is actually making me sick.

This whole mood started with the kitchen cupboard/cake stand situation a few weeks ago, continued with cleaning off the Depression Glass cupboard, cleaning out the pantry cupboard, and now the utility cupboard that I did on Sunday morning -- those accomplishments have provided momentum & will to tackle the holiday STUFF.

I didn't really want to clean out that closet, but it's so great to have it done. I was on a mission, so it didn't take that long, either.

When's the last time I used Spic & Span from a box -- might have only been once because it was pretty full. And cat STUFF? Stain & odor STUFF, hairball remedy, flea & tick powder. Our last cat died during the pandemic! There was so much pet-related STUFF in there I didn't need anymore. (I was able to find new homes for most of the STUFF I cleaned out.)

I know now that I don't need to buy drain cleaner, Armor All, ant killer, 40W light bulbs (could use some 60s, tho), hand soap refills (the dish soap supply is fairly good, too), or any type of floor cleaner for a very long time. But now, if I do buy something that goes in this cupboard, there's room for it!

After that, I packed up the kids' sweater again and hauled it over to Ann's for the afternoon to work on while I did laundry and watched the football game. The second sleeve was bound off on Monday night, leaving only the right front & back pieces to complete, and then it'll be time to soak/block so I can assemble/finish!!

On Saturday morning, I wound most of the rest of the MDK Atlas for the kids' sweater.

Then I hauled it all over to Ann's, where I spent the afternoon doing laundry and a little cleaning -- but mostly laundry -- along with knitting, sipping peppermint tea, and watching a little TV. There'd been seven guests there for the Thursday night football game, and to visit family (the parents grew up on the same street in the '40s & '50s, and Grandpa's old house is just at the end of the block)... there was a boatload of laundry!

The main knitting goal was the striping on the left sleeve. The original design for the 5 Point Bomber (Rav) has a series of narrow stripes in the contrast color separated by wider stripes of the main color. I wanted more color, of course, and ended up doing slightly narrower stripes of six colors separated by narrow stripes of the main color.

I really like how it turned out. And as of last night, that sleeve is finished!

The bright blue cuff is straight from Malina's design. Interestingly, Malina & Ginny made the stripes a contrasting color, but Ali is the only one who used more than one color, and Ginny is the only one who needed the symmetry of stripes on both sleeves! You can revisit all their designs here. I am considering stripes on the right sleeve, but on the upper arm instead? So many questions... the same sequence? reversed? mixed up? all the colors? wider stripes of just a couple-few colors?

?????

Anyway, I spent the entire afternoon at Ann's and it was glorious!

On Sunday I was thinking about the upcoming week and cooking and cleaning. I started by cleaning the sink with the intention of doing a deep clean of the counters and the top of the "Depression Glass Cupboard" that is one of a few catch-all spots in the kitchen. I ended up doing a deep clean of one of the upper shelves in the kitchen to put away the cake stand I'd taken down for my birthday cake. It's been sitting on one of the counters for a couple of weeks now, because that shelf & everything on it was filthy... I just couldn't put it back, even though no one would ever know if I did! I even washed some of the glass panes. I'll tackle another shelf or two next weekend. It's just not fair that the inside of a mostly closed cupboard can get so dirty!

I did the top of the cupboard, too, but never got around to the counters. There's still time... and that's a lot easier in comparison!

I only broke two things in my frenzy, one of which made me sad... the smaller of a couple of nesting bowls that Kate found in Fife. I happened to talk to her yesterday, and it happens that she needed an excuse to visit that shop again, and she'll find a replacement for me.

Tomorrow night I'm meeting Ali at Ann's to prepare for guests arriving for Thanksgiving. At this point, I have a few quiet weeks at my Airbnb, though I really know enough by now to be prepared for last-minute arrivals... especially now that I've said that aloud a couple of times. Anyway, the plan is that she'll come over for a little crafting time sans kiddos, too.

I set my alarm for Saturday morning -- a rare occurrence these past few years -- so I wouldn't be late for the workshop with Mel Kolstad at Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, where I letterpressed my heart out for six hours!

As predicted, I didn't glue down/collage a darn thing, but I have so much fodder for future work/play/inspiration. I was super into circles, guitars, chickens, and a particular dancing girl. The illuminated letter blocks are mine that I brought from home, along with some old tissue/pattern paper, and the photo postcard that now has a big chicken in the yard.

I snagged a couple of old card catalog & library cards, a receipt from a coffee shop in Taiwan, part of a map, and an image of some "underwater fairies" or something -- material that spoke to me. I also have a big bin of ephemera that I collected after my first workshop with Mel and, to be honest, take a bunch of the same to the curb every two weeks in the recycle bin!

I have a feeling there may have been one or two of these bad boys right under my nose back in the late '70s/early '80s when I worked as a typesetter for a local shopping guide & print shop, along with some old wood type. No one cared! I came in at the beginning of "computer photo-typesetting" with dedicated computers for the task, fonts on film strips, paper that was processed with developer & fixer. There are a number of these at Hamilton, along with plenty of bigger & smaller models -- and the museum itself is full of historical machinery!

I was assessing my printed materials yesterday and stumbled upon a starting point for next time! 

Also yesterday, Rusty & I got our 3rd Covid booster shots. I didn't get a nap, didn't sleep well last night, it's chilly & raining today (and yesterday), I didn't dress properly... and I'm FREEZING (even with the space heater at my feet on HIGH)!! And so tired. All related, I'm sure.

I better get myself used to it, as we're likely to experience the same in Scotland. I do hope we'll see some occasional sunshine, too. I've often read that it's typical to experience "all seasons" & "all weather" in a day!

Perhaps I should rename my blog... Random & Weekending & Occasional Unraveling. heh.

It was a GLORIOUS weekend! The weather was just right -- 70s, sunny, breezy -- and we needed that so much, especially on a weekend. Today & tomorrow we're back in the mid-90s (with dew point close to 70 - ugh), and in the 80s otherwise as far as I can see. I took my cue from the weather and mowed lawns on Saturday morning.

Ali came over with the kids around mid-morning and they hung out while I took a shower, and then we all headed out to Target! I've never been shopping with four kids before... I can't even think of a time when I went with all three of mine at one time (at least not without protest -- Maddy hated shopping!). We survived! No meltdowns, no tears, not even very much whining... though Ginny is super stealthy, just casually adding things to the cart.

I took a good number of photos over the weekend and it's hard to choose a favorite... but this might be it, even though not everyone is showing their best photogenic self! Actually, I didn't even take that photo... Ali did!

Junah had some cash burning a hole in his pocket, and LEGO was on his mind.

He got busy building as soon as we got back, barely breaking to eat a hot dog for lunch.

I bought some craft stuff and the girls were busy with that. Ginny was delighted to learn how to mix red & blue paint to make purple, not to mention yellow & blue to make green!

(Malina had just eaten an ice cream sandwich!) There's a fun series of selfies with Davy on IG, and a few other photos/selfies of/with the kids.

Sidewalk chalk & bubbles came out, we traipsed through the back yard & garden... it was a lovely day!! And I even had time for a nap.

Sunday began with coffee in the Garden Room.

Then I put together an IKEA shelf that I've had hanging around for too long, and did a very little bit of rearranging in the Garden Room to fit it in.

I puttered, did some cleaning -- and cleaning out -- and then met my current Airbnb guests at the pergola for a beverage and a nice chat. She was a brand new elementary teacher about the time we moved to Appleton, and it turns out she was one of Michael's! I told him that I hoped she was a nice teacher, and he said he'd remember if she wasn't!

Maddy & Viv start their journey today! It's very early Tuesday morning in Australia right now, and about 12 hours from the first leg. Unfortunately, the friends they were going to visit in Seattle for a few days have Covid, so there had to be some last-minute rearranging of plans. They'll end up staying a night at a hotel in Seattle before catching a flight to Chicago, then making their way to Milwaukee to visit with other friends for a couple of days. I'll be driving down there to pick them up on Saturday or Sunday -- whatever they decide. Bonus is a day or two extra here! I reminded her that the #1 requirement for travel right now is PATIENCE -- stay calm & cool & roll with it -- but I hope she doesn't have to tap that well. At least they don't have to worry about tests -- NZ just dropped their requirement yesterday. I also reminded her that we survived Aer Lingus/Detroit... thus, can handle anything! It's a packed itinerary: Orange > Sydney > Auckland > Los Angeles > Seattle > Chicago > Milwaukee > HOME! That's over 6-7 days, total, and not all of it by air, but still a lot. If you can send some GOOD TRAVEL JUJU their way, it would be appreciated! I shall be monitoring it all from here. haha.

Finally, my catalpa tree exploded in blooms over the weekend!

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

I had an unexpected last-minute Airbnb booking late Thursday afternoon for the weekend, so had to abandon my Duolingo practice and spring into action to get ready for a Friday arrival! I might have finally learned that I need to be prepared for anything!

That done, I crossed a bunch of other stuff off my list over the weekend, and it feels so good! There are still a couple of stragglers, but I'll get to them soon... after I ready the Airbnb for the guests arriving on Wednesday! (There's no rest for the wicked, as my mother would say.)

One of the things I accomplished over the weekend was buying and planting plants in our decorative planters.

You may have seen my post about that on IG over the weekend. I've had this wicker fern stand forever, and it's always been on the back porch, but it's never held a plant of any kind. The cats loved it and would jump up and nap inside... especially after Rusty made it cozy with old porch pillows and a rug. We'd even spot cats in there that weren't even ours!

Not our cat!! We nicknamed this one Ferdinand!

It's been a while since it's been used as a cat bed, though, so I decided to buy some plants.

You can hardly see it now in its spot under the Marriage Window...

...but once these incredibly bright coleus grow a bit, it'll be easier to spot!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I can enjoy that planter from a couple of other vantage points.

This is from the other side of the Marriage Window... as things grow, I may have to move it a bit!

And this is from one of the kitchen windows... it's visible from three of four!

I have the need to mention -- just in case you've missed it -- that Maddy & Viv will be showing their faces here THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY!! I cannot wait to hug m'girls!! And I'll be driving down to Chicago, FOUR WEEKS FROM TODAY (yes, on the 4th of July), to pick up Kate!!

❤️❤️❤️

Oh, quick favor... I'm looking for recommendations for a YA read. It can be any genre, even part of a series, preferably not terribly long. Thank you in advance!

Last time the kids were over, Junah, holding a small container of white chalk, asked me where a chalkboard was... "Why do you have chalk if you don't have a chalkboard?"

Huh. Why do I??*

So I fixed that and ordered one forthwith, along with some colorful chalk and an eraser.

Zero regrets...

There was zero input from me about what to draw, and I plotzed when I saw Junah drawing my gnomes! He also drew a magnifying glass that Rusty had near his reading chair, and the giant "pea pod" at the top is actually the little red canoe on bottom left in the photo. I shared some of the photos with the fam yesterday and Kate said that it looks like Junah's gnomes are about to hop on a Viking ship!

Earlier, Ginny showed me a book of drawings that she made out of napkins... lots of hearts and rainbows, and windows! The sun is in the sky, and also the moon -- in a few different phases.

I love absolutely everything about this!

That's Ginny, Davy, and Malina in the first drawing. When I asked where Junah was, she ran off and then came back... "That's Junah... (giggling) with a beard!"

*Because it came with a set of autumn themed chalkboards that I used for decor in the Airbnbs. I do have a small slate, but it has a 4th of July drawing that my mother did... so that's not ever getting erased.

I started the bind-off of Close to You on Friday night while awaiting the arrival of Airbnb guests...

...and, to my surprise, I finished it!

That meant that on Saturday, I gave the shawl and soak and spread it out on the blocking mat to dry.

There are quite a few little picots along the bound-off edge, but only ONE of them is GREEN! I love it. Details on Wednesday!

On Saturday & Sunday, I was back to Temperature knitting!

It's grown by quite a few rows even since this photo was taken. Update on Wednesday!

We've hit the laundry room floor project in earnest since we returned from vacation. I've been finding all sorts of relics and old papers -- receipts & warranties for things we don't have anymore, business bookkeeping that could have been tossed several years ago already.

Back in the day, when we had only one computer, the "laundry room" was the nerve center! I kept books, paid bills, did ancestry research; the kids played (educational) video games and/or wrote fan fiction; Rusty could barely turn on a computer at that point in time. Times sure change.

That's the first digital camera I bought... a whopping 4.1 megapixels! (The camera on my current phone is 12!) We have two of these cameras, because Sharon's came into our possession after she died. I was thinking of donating them, but they might be put to better use by the kiddos -- they can document their gardening this summer (among other things).

At Christmas, I gave them a year-long, weekly "Gardening for Kids" course offered by a local naturalist. I print out each week's lesson & give it to Ali to add to the main binder; they each have a smaller binder with all sorts of paper -- graph paper for plotting, plain paper for drawing, lined paper for writing -- a cute notebook, markers, etc. They're beginning prep to start seeds soon!

Ali & the kids came over yesterday -- it's the first time I've seen the kids since returning from vacation, as they were passing a little bug around amongst themselves last week! I recruited a new model... you can get a little preview of the finished Close To You shawl in my Instagram Story.

The three big kids slept over on Saturday night.

I'll spare you the photo of the floor covered with LEGO, K'nex, Playful Patterns, wooden blocks, dolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, etc. Haha. We watched a couple of movies, some of the Olympics (they were very impressed with snowboarders & figure skaters), played with all of the aforementioned toys (and more), and the kids had baths.

Those are Malina's tracings of her own hands. Pretty impressive for an almost-4yo!

Bonus of Davy -- from last week, not the weekend -- blurry but so cute!

I'm delighted that our travel plans have been worked out. It took a 5-hour texting session with various agents at the airline, but I'd rather do that than be on hold listening to "music" for hours. Anyway, we'll fly to Chicago the afternoon before originally planned, stay overnight at the airport hotel, then catch the early morning direct flight to San Juan, arriving mid-afternoon. Puerto Rico currently has 1.5 hours more daylight than we do, and all at the end of the day, so it'll be perfect for driving across the island.

So... buttons on your underwear!?

That's not how I intended to begin this post, but once I wrote, "So," it just came out. Have you ever heard that expression before? My brother-in-law finished someone's "So..." in this way over the weekend and could not believe that none of us had ever heard it before. It must not be very commonly used by him, either, because I've known him for going-on 20 years and never heard him say it before... surely, in all that time, there must have been opportunity!

Anyway...

So, as of this Wednesday, we won’t have to test to enter Puerto Rico! The (non-returnable) tests I ordered will be here today were just delivered, and I had notification that the government tests will also be delivered today, so we'll be prepared!

I packed up all my yarn-y stuff at the coffee shop yesterday! We have begun packing up the laundry (and-so-much-more) room in order to lay the new floor and I couldn't think of a single place to put it all, so took it right down to the storage unit (where mostly Kate has stuff).

I'll be bringing the wall-mounted grid wall home and will use it in my hopefully-somewhat-soon-to-be revamped dye studio; I also have legs for it, so options!

Meanwhile, if anyone needs/wants an MDK Field Guide or a tote bag from the defunct Fringe Supply, I'm your girl.

The boys walked over Saturday prior to their departure to Madison for the week. Their 99yo Nana is moving into a rehab facility today, having fallen & broken a hip earlier this month, and they head back to Lima on Friday. While they wrestled with each other in the living room (boys!), I made my color card for the Temperature Blanket.

Then, having found myself with a little time yesterday afternoon -- after my nap and before a coffee shop "transition" get-together -- I cast on!

I worked about the first week of Rusty's first year of life! And I am already in love with this project... and wondering how I can pack a project with 20+ balls of yarn for vacation!!

Meanwhile, tomorrow is the start of Fiberuary!

I had so much fun doing the Fiberuary Challenge on Instagram last year, I'm going to try it again!

This month FLEW BY!! I'm sure it had to do with my sister & her family being "here" for most of the month, with everything surrounding Ali's sale of the coffee shop, and with BIRTHDAYS! Junah's, Annie's... and today would have been my mom's 84th! (That's baby Junah in the photo with her!)

I'm looking forward to February, which is usually my least favorite month, but at least it's short -- I've already flipped that calendar and there's a vacation in plain view!

It was a great birthday weekend, with just the right mix of busy & not busy, some accomplishments, and time spent "with" the people most important to me!

But first, another Airbnb story for you because I believe it helped to set the tone (not that the tone of a birthday weekend isn't already great)...

I had a guy booked for a stay in September with his girlfriend, and then he tested positive for Covid and couldn't fly. Rather than canceling and losing most of his $$ (because of options that he chose when he booked), I suggested that he reschedule (which he didn't know was an option). Done! Rescheduled for a stay in November... arriving on Friday the 5th. I sent my usual "here's what's going on" message on Wednesday, per usual... and radio silence. Hm. We'd previously communicated via the app with no issues, and I'm not one to badger, so... I waited... and wondered... did he & his girlfriend break up? He couldn't have tested positive again?? Alas, I finally hear from him early Friday afternoon -- I'm generous in saying that it was hours before they were to check in -- and due an emergency, he couldn't leave and could they reschedule again, or maybe his gf & her mom or a friend could come for a night and at least get something out of it.

My reply was polite, but firm in my disappointment at such late notice because there was no chance I'd have another booking for the weekend, while also understanding that emergencies arise. As an Airbnb user, myself, I'd hate feeling that I'd lost, so I allowed them to reschedule one more time! (Third time's the charm? We'll see in mid-January!!) They were very appreciative and blah blah blah.

I reconciled myself to having the weekend "off," though, truthfully, one of the great things about this Airbnb gig is that there's rarely anything I need to on the weekend except perhaps answer a question. I messaged Rusty to let him know...

And I swear to the goddess, an hour later I had a last-minute booking! Arriving that very day, in fact, and staying a day longer than the original guy. Turns out they're from Southern California, artists/map-makers, around our age, moving to the area, and needing a place to stay while they wait for the moving van and get their new house ready.

You can't make this stuff up!

So, KARMA, BABY!! It comes around... and sometimes you barely have to wait for it!

On Saturday, I had nice chats with Annie (including a sighting of the elusive Mack!) & with Kate; saw Ali for a minute; had chatted a few days earlier with Maddy (time zones y'know). I even had a text from my stepdad... a rare occurrence. My dad didn't always call, but this is the first year that it wasn't even a possibility, so it was really nice to hear from Joe.

We walked down and spent some of my $63.58 (age/birth year) birthday gift from Maddy on Saturday night. The weather continued to be amazing, and we were very comfy sitting outside with outdoor fireplaces and heaters (set on low).

Rusty's been super busy getting things together for the show that's opening in less than two weeks, so he went to do some of that on Sunday morning, and I picked him up on the way out to Ali's. Time to tuck Ducky in good & tight for the winter!

First, I had some things to put in (including mouse deterrent) & things to take out. Last year, we just put a big blue tarp over it and it was OK, but not great -- it's super windy out there and it wasn't in the greatest location, either. This year, I sprung for an actual cover that came with straps and everything! Ducky's tucked between the pole barn & the chicken coop, and it should fare much better.

Flo & the other girls will keep an eye on things! (It is not easy taking photos of chickens!)

It was... LEAFY! There already was a pile when we got there, then Junah drove a little lawn tractor around the yard and collected more as Rusty raked them into a bigger pile. The kids had a blast jumping in... and disappearing! I think Ginny's in there somewhere...

We had broasted chicken & a few potatoes/fries -- those not left in the parking lot where they were spilled. LOL. You already know about that amazing cake!

And look at this:

He's taking numerous unaided steps in a row! Even more with a lawnmower. Here we go!

I hope all y'all had a great weekend, too!

Lucky 13! Thirteen is also a Fibonacci number, a prime number, a star number, and a happy number (among other things, and thank you very much Wikipedia). That's all good enough for me as I embark on the 13th year of NaBloPoMo!

It was a pretty great weekend! We went to an art opening, put together a futon couch/bed at Ann's Queen Anne, cleaned up and pulled in plants from outside, and got a start on both Airbnbs as there are guests arriving later this week at both.

The kiddos stopped over yesterday after Trick or Treat Round 1, enjoyed sorting and eating (or trading/giving away) some of their treats, and then I took Jün & Gin out for Round 2 in my neighborhood. There weren't a lot of houses with lights on (I didn't have a single kid at my door, other than my own grandkids), but they came back with plenty of goodies. To their delight, most people said, "Take as many as you want!"

This house, a couple of blocks from mine, is probably the most decorated in the area. At night they had big swirling bats projected on the house and it was really cool.

Ginny was originally a witch but it was so windy yesterday that her big-brimmed hat kept blowing off, so she traded it for a tiara!

The light was pretty great on Friday afternoon and I had a sudden urge to take my hexie blanket outside for a photo -- seemed like it had been a while.

As you can see, it's getting "leafy" around here. (Also that my mosaic table is returning to dust right before our very eyes.) I love how that little pink geranium blossom so perfectly matches the hot pink in the blanket!

The occasion was to celebrate finishing the half-hexies along one side. As of this writing, I'm about half-way on the other side. I'm ready to go with this baby!

Before I forget, I was going to start an Autumn/Vacation/Winter/Holiday Knitting To-do List (so I won't forget):

• • Christmas Stocking for Janet/SEBAS
  • Messy Bun hat for Ali
  • Socks for Viv
  • Wild Fields hat for Gin
  • Marl something

We'll soon be going up to the North Shore for a long weekend and that first item is Vacation Knitting Project Priority #1! When one of Rusty's customers found out that I'm a knitter, she asked if I would knit a stocking for her grandson. Her mother knit stockings from a vintage pattern for all the previous grandchildren, but passed away before she could do Sebastian's... so he's been sharing with a sibling! I don't volunteer my knitting time for others very often, simply because it's so very limited, but this one tugged at my heart. I'd like to deliver it before Thanksgiving.

Ali messaged me early on Saturday asking me to turn off online ordering for the coffee shop at 11... they were short-staffed and she had to close at 11:30 instead of 2 that day. A few weeks ago, trying to delete an item from my Make.Do category in the POS app that Ali uses, I accidentally deleted THE ENTIRE CATEGORY! So I took advantage of her early closing to go up and rescan/re-enter every single item that I have up there! It took about three hours, but it's done and I can clean up some other things because of it.

When I returned home, I was in my workroom for a few minutes and was distracted by this glowing tree a couple of doors down. A photo taken through two (dirty) panes of wavy old glass doesn't do it justice... it was a brilliant & gorgeous distraction!

Ann's Airbnb guests checked out early Sunday morning, headed to Lambeau Field early! They were aiming to do some tailgating and snag a few brats prior to the game, then planned to head right to a hotel in Milwaukee after the game in order to catch early Monday morning flights home. Anyway, I took advantage of that and went over to get a start on laundry. I threw in one load, ran to the store, went back to toss the fist load into the dryer & throw in another, watched some pre-game TV until that was finished, then loaded it all up (except for towels, which I left in the dryer) to take home & hang on the clothesline! So nice to have that chore done.

My guests drove from Michigan and checked out this morning... so more laundry is on the horizon!

Speaking of football, it was a fun game to watch and we WON! Packers now stand at 6-1 and at the top of their division.

There was a huge fennel bulb in our last CSA share (the last of the season), along with some potatoes (and apples and beets... that was a heavy bag!), so I searched for a fennel recipe and came up with one that used potatoes, too. Kym shared that the NY Times Cooking app is her favorite these days, and I second that motion! Right up there is anything Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa, and that's where I found the recipe for the Potato-Fennel Gratin pictured above. It was delicious!

All in all, it was a pretty great weekend. I hope you had a great weekend, too!

Warning: All Work, Gnome Play - Gnome MKAL 7 spoiler ahead. (Are any of you doing this?)

There's a story my mother used to tell about a Thanksgiving meal early in my parents' marriage -- for Dad's boss or for family, I don't remember that detail. The important thing was that Mom asked Dad to go to the kitchen and get the cranberry sauce, which she'd forgotten to "decant," and she was mortified when he proudly presented the perfectly can-shaped specimen.

I saw this at an estate sale on Friday afternoon and... maybe it wasn't all his fault!

I'm not sure what got into me, but I got up close & personal with my kitchen & bathroom floors on Saturday in a way that I haven't done in a very long time. First, I've had cleaning ladies for the past few years (but not right now) and, second, Rusty does not mind scrubbing floors! I bought a steam mop to use at Ann's house, though, and decided to give it a whirl at mine... it was awesome. It did edges pretty good, but not corners... so that's where we got close again!

Ann had ordered some pillows with the furniture for her house, and I got the call that they were ready for pick up, so I drove up to Green Bay on Saturday afternoon. I stopped at St. Vinny's, where I bought a half-dozen pair of Susan Bates long straight knitting needles; Target, where I walked the perimeter of the store and ended up with two items that I'd picked up right in front (for a total of $6); and the Packers Pro Shop, to pick up some football goodies for guests arriving this weekend for football! I'm so happy to welcome football fans again.

Ann & I both had guests last week that were here for the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Kohler. Golf is not my thing but I actually tuned in on TV for a few minutes on Sunday and even I was awed by a couple of shots... they looked pretty impressive/impossible to me! Ann's people left yesterday, so I stopped over a couple of times to get laundry going. I actually brought sheets home to hang on my clothesline! My guy left today, so... rinse & repeat.

I've been working on Hexie Love... slowly, but getting there! I've attached all the motifs at-hand, and need to make two more before I move on to the border. I am aiming to do that tonight. I'm afraid I might be a little short of yarn for the border, but I guess I won't know for sure until I dive in.

I haven't worked at all on the headband/hat that I started while camping, because I've been knitting a gnome hat!

That is through Clue 4, in which I knit nearly a foot-and-a-half of 3-stitch I-cord! Had that little detail been disclosed at the beginning, it would have been a hard NO on this for me, but... who knew? (NO ONE! It's a MYSTERY!) Turns out, I can knit about 6" of I-cord per quarter of football. I can't wait for tomorrow's clue!

Meanwhile...

...this is a frame from a super-cute Snapchat yesterday. Ginny could feel the kitten's heartbeat, and Malina... well, she's just all over it!

August was intense, and I was even more anxious when I realized that there was at least one event on the calendar for every weekend of the month! A baseball game, a wedding, a belated wedding reception... not to mention all of the work to get Ann's house ready (the first guests checked in last night!).

The month could not have ended on a higher note! I realize that it's not over yet, but for all intents & purposes (I'm never going to write that now without also wanting to add intensive purposes!), IT IS OVER!

I have no photos, but on Friday night Rusty & I attended an opening for an exhibition called Made To Order at the Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, featuring 55 pieces of art commissioned by museum supporters. The museum connected artists with buyers who then met to discuss the piece(s) that would be created, sometimes meeting numerous times. The artists received 50% of the agreed on price, and the museum received the other 50%. Then they had a $200/plate fundraising soiree to celebrate it all! We did not have to pay that, thank god, and it was definitely not the normal crowd that I hang with, but oh... the provisions! Champagne & specialty cocktails flowed all night; there were lobster rolls, shrimp cocktails, tuna poke bowls, tenderloin bites w/chimichurri, and a bunch of other delicious bites that I can't even remember, along with desserts that included macarons and the most adorable little crème brûlées! The catering was by Zuppas, a long-time local favorite, and they did not disappoint.

If that wasn't enough, Saturday night was the cherry on top! I have sung the praises of my CSA farm before -- starter plants & herbs, fresh chicken, not to mention the veg -- but the Farm Dinner, oh my.

I attended my first Farm Dinner at Park Ridge Organics in 2014. I remember it exactly because, as I stated in the opening to that blog post, "I've been saying 'yes' to almost every good thing that comes my way this summer..." That was the summer that my mom died and I felt an urgency to live and do things that made me happy.

At that time, Park Ridge was not my CSA farm, but it wasn't long after that I jumped on their ship and I could not be happier. I love everything about my farmer, her story, her family, her location, and especially her food!

The dinners fell off my radar or the timing wasn't good, or whatever (stupid pandemic), until this year. This year, there was no question when I saw that the meal would be prepared by Dave Swanson of Braise. I could not order tickets fast enough! I don't remember know why, but Dave and his restaurant/events/school have been on my radar for years.

Seven years ago, the farm dinner was moved into the barn because of weather. This year, weather was definitely on everyone's mind -- we'd had a ton of rain on Friday night and storms/showers were skirting the area, but we ate field-side and barely felt a drop!

All the food was prepared outside, Dave came and visited at each table a few times during the evening, as did the farmer, the farmer's daughter, and the farmer's parents, whose farm this was originally and who now live next door in "the shed."

The food!

1) Beet Gazpacho. 2) Beet & Tomato Panzanella. 3) Porchetta with Roasted Vegetables & Lentils. 4) Carrot Cream Cheese Galette with Whipped Mascarpone. (That galette looks weird because it was getting dark by that time and I had to photoshop.)

It was all amazing, but especially that panzanella... I can't stop thinking about it!

I attended again with my friend Ann, and we had lovely table-mates -- sisters from southern Wisconsin, one who owns & runs, along with her son & daughter, the Hon-E-Kor Country Club in Kewaskum (where I will definitely be going for a fish fry before too long!), and a friendly couple from Oshkosh. We had such a good time.

Seven years shall not pass before I attend another one of these. Also on my bucket list: a dinner by Outstanding In The Field! And a big outdoor dinner at my home for family & friends.

On Sunday, I did a few last-minute things at Ann's...

A little more greenery...

And situating the outside seating.

Other than that, I took the day off... except for doing the coffee shop payroll... and took a 2-hour nap!

I hope your last weekend of August was a good one, too!

I celebrated Mother's Day by cleaning the Airbnb apartment... all weekend! Well, I did have a couple of breaks. I talked to Ann a couple of times, and also to Kate!

Kate's on Day 5 of her 10-day mandatory isolation. She can leave only to drop her Covid tests in a mailbox.

She discovered this on the other side of the building where her Airbnb is... it is not her view, so she had no idea! It'll be so great to discover what's along that trail in just a few more days. She's going a little stir crazy, but brought her beading supplies with her (she's been making earrings for months, selling them at the coffee shop but likely soon finding a UK venue), and she's in a cute apartment -- I can't imagine enduring 10 days in a crappy hotel room (doesn't matter how many stars... that's way too long to be cooped up in one room with shitty seating & lighting).

As mentioned, the bulk of my weekend -- and Rusty's -- was spent cleaning the Airbnb. It was a reminder for me of why I like doing short-term rather than long-term rentals. They were terrific guests in that we barely knew they were there and they left me with a couple of new small appliances and kitchen gadgets, but they didn't do a lot of cleaning and did a lot of cooking with oil... things were grimy. So much, after only four months!

Annie said, "Oh, that must be like spring cleaning. I love spring cleaning!" And I laughed, because I'm not that excited about cleaning in the spring or any other time, but I channeled her enthusiasm, along with my mother... striving for "Marj Perfect!" I thought of her a lot yesterday because Mother's Day, but also because she would have loved this endeavor -- I actually think of her very often when I'm up there.

Anyway, I'm so thankful for Rusty -- he did some repairs & maintenance in the bathroom, including painting the ceiling, and did almost all of the floors! I have some finishing up to do on Wednesday for weekend guests arriving on Friday, but not bad.

We found a spot above the sink for this cool painting that one of Kate's art friends did of the kitchen.

I will be going on a quest to replace the phonograph needle (I think that's what needs done). I have this one in my Amazon cart, but first I'm stopping at a local record/stereo shop on my way home tonight.

The info I needed was on the bottom, of course, and I couldn't lift the arm high enough to see it -- or even get my phone under it, so I employed a mirror!

There's a neat back room in the apartment that is off limits to guests mainly because it provides access to the attic and to the rooftop (I've watched mile-away fireworks from up there) and it would just be too irresistible! It has a ton of storage -- cool drawers built in under the steep attic steps, along with another cupboard -- and a window! It's three stories up from the back garden and, unfortunately, the only place where the garden is visible from up there. So I guess it's my Secret Garden Window.

In other news, the stump grinders could finally do the job this morning!

I asked him to send me pictures! (That's Not Lazy's truck in the first photo... they moved out a week ago but he's still switching out/parking vehicles on the street. I'm not going to tolerate that for much longer.) (I'm becoming my mother in many ways!! I love you, Mom!)

Kate will land in the UK a month from today! It's going to be a crazy-fast month and there's a lot going on, so I'm making a promise to be easy on myself...

I haven't been stitching much. Now that the weather is getting nicer and there's still so much more daylight left when I get home from work... it's just not happening.

I still watch TV in the evenings, though, so I'm making some progress on my crocheted blanket. I even took a few moments yesterday before the hullaballoo began to finish a row and take a photo.

I hope you had a nice weekend! Here are the highlights of mine:

Jün's top teeth are slowly emerging (aren't they big??)... and there are two more loose on the bottom!

Ali's always saying how much Ginny looks like me when I was little... it looks like she might have the same chin(s) when she's older, too! Haha.

Even without a smile, Malina makes a pretty cute bunny! (She was just.not.having.it!)

Look at the greening up behind Davy!! He's also working on some teeth! And wearing a cute, easy-to-knit sweater (Ravelry link) that I finished when Junah was a babe (it's quick, too, even though it took me a long time!)! So springy!

Here's to a good week! Who else is having egg salad for lunch today!!

I did a fair bit of stitching on my Alabama Chanin Car Jacket over the weekend. Prompted by the photo I posted a couple of weeks ago of the wrong side of the back piece I'm working on, I went on a hunt to find the last one I'd taken...

Wow.

I hardly worked on that project at all in 2020! Not only were we slammed with the overall weirdness of Covid, but Ali had just moved into a new house at the end of 2019, learned that she was pregnant, and had a business to keep afloat (an endeavour that wasn't mine, but I did numerous things to help). Kate & I bought Ducky and that renovation kept me busy. I had an epic baby blanket to knit! And other stuff.

Anyway, it looks like the last snap of the back I took was at Kym's in October 2019 when I drove to Michigan for our Mini AC Weekend!

I like to photo the back because the stitches are so much more obvious. Here's the same thing as of yesterday afternoon:

And here's the front:

The top image is from April 7th, and the bottom is yesterday.

I couldn't resist putting it together with a sleeve:

The end is really nowhere in sight -- there is so much left to do -- but this is really motivating! This piece is more than 2/3 done -- I've finished stitching the two top sections, and have a good start on the bottom. I'm confident that the other pieces will go a little bit quicker and I'm excited to baste the layers together for the other back piece... SOON!!

I also started making my crocheted circles into hexagons and joining them together.

I'm working from the bottom, so that's the bottom row -- just over half the width (it'll be 15 hexies wide x 21 hexies tall) (I think). I made progress since taking that photo, and have only two more hexies to work before starting the next row. I've been working the circles in order and slipping them onto stitch holders, but I could only find two, so you can see the third row stacking up in the top photo. I need a little more order, organization & control than that, so was happy for the weekend and time to work out the JAYGO method again. I'm super clumsy and some of this pretty sketchy, but oh... it makes me so happy. The colors & combos are wild, technically they shouldn't all work together, and yet... .

Just because I haven't mentioned football much (at all?) this year doesn't mean I haven't been watching. We have, of course!! And our Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl hopes were dashed in yesterday's playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Boo.

Well, at least the sun is shining today!

I had some new plants delivered on Friday! I started a new plant subscription with Horti and will have a plant delivered every month until I decide not to. (I actually heard about them first on the AARP* website.) Plants can be purchased individually, in sets, or by subscription, along with related items. Mine came with a cute painted clay pot & saucer, soil, and care directions. I can also specify/choose plants for low light, that are hard to kill or are pet-friendly, or let Horti pick.

Friday was one of the coldest days we've had so far this year, and my Crispy Wave Fern was packed so snug & secure, it did just fine even though no one was there to take it in right away. The tips of maybe two leaves are wilted, but honestly, I really had to look. There are healthy new shoots, and it'll be fun to watch them unfurl. Some of these plants will eventually go into the Airbnb. I have long-term guests there through next month, though, so not yet!

I also ordered a Marimo Kit -- the small one, but those Marimo are BIG! I will definitely order more -- and get a bigger home for them! They're so cool. They are natural "seaweed balls" that are found in freshwater lakes in Japan, Scotland, Iceland, Estonia, and parts of Australia. I love that I have a connection to a couple of those places.

If you're interested, use my referral link for 10% off your first order (and I'll earn some coin/points, too). 

On Saturday, we ran around and looked at some real estate for sale... because. It's a long story and who knows what, if anything, will happen... just know that I love looking at real estate listings (once thought I might become a REALTOR®)! The only thing new is that I'm doing it with a bit more intention and interest than usual... and even hopping in the car to do a drive-by.

Then I did some of that dreaded bookwork that I need to get done SOON... and I will, as soon as I figure out how to scale the brick wall that I've run up against.

Ali usually spends Sunday mornings at the coffee shop working on special projects. They've been closed on Sundays for months -- and even on Mondays for a while. The current project is Valentines... or anti-Valentines...

Haha.

I finished weaving in all the ends on my MDK House square and need to figure out how to proceed to make it a pillow.

Meanwhile, I started mending another elbow. This time, I picked up stitches and knit a patch that I will then sew down. I realized that I could have made some increases so the patch would match the overall sleeve a little better, but... naaaahhhhhhh.

*Even though Kate says that I can't just choose when I want to be a senior citizen... sometimes I do**! Her tongue-in-cheek comment made one day when I pondered whether to use the reserved parking spot at the store (it was cold). In reality, I almost always park quite far from the door -- it's more important to be closer to a cart return!

**I was very excited the first time I could buy a senior ticket at the movies... I'd gladly pay full price & more right now to safely & comfortably sit in a crowded movie theater again! It came up in my memories yesterday that we'd purchased tickets a few years ago for the Best Picture Festival at our local theater, and it made me sad. Will the Oscars even happen?? (They're planning on it... Sunday, April 25th (Maddy's 30th birthday!))

For my birthday, Ann wanted to do some sort of online cooking class together, and we finally found something that would work!

We're going to learn to make Pisco Sour -- the national cocktail of Peru -- from Franco, an award-winning mixologist in Lima. The price includes a kit, delivered by courier, with everything you need... unless you live in Wisconsin, and then you're on your own... and hopeful that you can even find pisco! Haha. Some gift, huh?

Well, a hunting I did go, and I found some! I was advised to look for Peruvian pisco, not Argentinian (they're different), and there were two varieties of Peruvian at my go-to liquor store. Naturally, I bought the more expensive one because it had this cool sticker on the back that you viewed through a window on the front... I'm easily enchanted! I did a little research on the website and found that they actually have four varieties, and their Pisco Sour recipes called for a different variety. Awaiting word from Franco...

Meanwhile, Ann sent me an email from the New Orleans School of Cooking and wondered if there was a class there that I'd be interested in. She & Brian had an in-person class there a year or two ago and really liked it. We talked on Saturday and looked over the choices/calendar together and found a class for Meat Pies & Dirty Rice... on Sunday! So we signed up!

I was positively thrilled when the confirmation email triggered a notification on my TripIt app! I got a little "ding-dong" reminder -- something I haven't heard since March!

The shopping list, recipes, and instructions were sent ahead of time, so on Saturday I went shopping. On Sunday, it was all about chopping and measuring for mise en place.

This was my set up for the Meat Pies (puff pastry sheets thawing behind me). I had another tray set up with everything for the Dirty Rice, and all the necessary skillets, pots, and bowls were handy.

I had some technical difficulties, so had the video up on our old laptop but the audio was on my phone (also with video, though, and that was cool because I could see Annie & her set up a little better on my phone while keeping the class feed on the laptop). The last time I used that laptop was for a Zoom class to make my wreath and everything was fine... so I dunno (technology sometimes - ugh!).

The class was 1.5 hours long (we went a few minutes over), limited to 30 participants, and I think we were numbers 26 & 27, so it was pretty full. People from all over, including a group from MN who did it as a Christmas present, which was cool. The instructor was friendly, chatty, knowledgeable, and efficient. Everything was done step-by-step, she gave us options for different ingredients, methods, and presentations.

We got the Dirty Rice going first. Mine is not technically "dirty," as they didn't have chicken livers at the store so I had to sub a chicken thigh (apparently, it's the organ meat that makes it dirty). It's not very picturesque, but oh my goodness, is it tasty!!

The meat pies turned out GREAT! I got a dozen out of the recipe. The class was in the afternoon, so Kate & I split a pie and had a little rice when they were super fresh. We all had same for dinner, and Rusty was warming up some rice this morning to have with an egg for breakfast. I can't wait for lunch today... guess what's on the menu!?!!

And next weekend, PISCO SOUR!

Heh. That was a long one. I can't believe it's been nearly 3 weeks!!

I'm popping in REAL quick to say HI!

There's nothing new for anyone who follows along on FB or IG. More details may be forthcoming in the future but, in short, I tested positive for COVID on the 17th (Kate did, too, and Rusty also had symptoms). I had been feeling a little "iffy" for a few days prior (but with none of the more common/telltale signs: no fever, no loss of taste or smell, and other symptoms developed after-the-fact rather than being a "tell"). Kate told me that my lips were turning a little bit blue on the evening of the 18th... thankfully that turned around! I was super sick/tired/achy all that weekend and early last week, and then sl0wly started to pull out of it with a bit of improvement each day.

A week ago I printed a pattern and gathered some supplies, but it took two days to muster the energy to cast on, and then the floodgate opened...

A little parade of gnomes has been falling off my needles ever since. I'd knit at least four of these guys a couple of years ago... from Susan B. Anderson's Gnome pattern, recently updated to include mods for a Big Gnome.

I'm not very good with flipping pages back & forth to incorporate new+old directions, even in the best of times, so two of these gnomes are more medium sized. Heh. I finally notated the original pattern w/changes for the larger size and the one in the middle reflects that a bit more accurately! From left to right, these are for: Davy, Ginny, Malina. And I cast on Junah's while I watched the Packer game last night. They're so cute and fun to knit, with just a little bit of fiddly -- details that really make them shine (IMHO).

I hope you all had a good holiday -- made the best of it. I haven't seen my grandkids in a few weeks and I'm excited for a belated Christmas with them (date still TBD).

Anyway, I'm/we're feeling a little more energetic everyday! Definitely better... and I'm looking forward to putting 2020 in my rear-view.

I had a couple of kiddos at my house for almost 24 hours and I didn't take a single photo of them. With apologies to Kym, that's unprecedented!

I did take a few photos of some knit Christmas trees. Here's one:

And since that photo was taken, the "forest" has grown by one! Kate laughed about how she hasn't seen me knit a single stitch on one, they're just "magically appearing." Ginny was playing with them as if they were dolls -- family, actually. The green ones were Mommy & Daddy, this pink one was Ginny, and the other one (a bit smaller, variegated pink & blue) was Malina... there was a request to "make" Junah & Davy ("with a 'bubba'," she laughed). I will certainly do so... they're fun & super quick to knit!

The pattern is Holiday Trees, available at WEBS. I'm knitting mine in Malabrigo Chunky, leftovers from some of Kate's recent projects. I'm not stuffing them in any way, they are sturdy enough to stand on their own, plus I really like the "Suess-y-ness," though I might get styrofoam forms for a couple -- as I was demonstrating/stretching, I really liked how it looked with the garter ridges spread apart.

(Kate, by the way, is knitting up a storm... four or five cowls in recent weeks, and now she's making the headbands that Kym posted the other day.)

I took delivery of some yarn over the weekend, so I'm back to knitting houses.

Turns out, I wasn't happy with my previous start, so ripped that all out (hence the tree-knitting while awaiting deliveries). This is the "Village" design from MDK Field Guide N0 16: Painterly again, this time in the Rowan Felted Tweed specified in the pattern. Oh my, it's been ages since I knit with Rowan... it is very nice yarn. Heh.

ICYMI (on FB):

Junah negotiating with his sister on Saturday night about what movie to watch:

“...but Ginny, I’ve been wanting to watch that for years!”

He’ll be 7 next month.

Yesterday.

Sometimes it's good to laugh until you cry!! It's rare that we're all "together" these days, so that was a big bonus.

The cropped version of this photo was posted on IG yesterday, but I wanted to post it in full glory. The blanket colors are pretty darn true here. The border color reads as just a wee bit more black in person, but it's close. I am CHUFFED to be finished with this phase, and now trying to remember (researching) how to knit on a mitered border... it's been about 10 years since I did that.

Well, it was only a day trip, but it sure was cool. I tagged along on Kate's invitation from the owners to meet & tour Camp Wandawega in southern Wisconsin -- not far from Lake Geneva and a little over two hours' drive from home.

Sorry... not sorry... there are going to be a lot of photos in this post!

Camp Wandawega has quite a history, from speakeasy and brothel to lakeside resort and church camp.

I first learned of Camp Wandawega and owners Tereasa & David because they're fellow Airbnb Superhosts (though in a league far-removed from mine!) and featured "how-to" Airbnb hosts... and their property is just plain AMAZING.

Tereasa, David & their daughter live in Chicago, but spend most weekends at Camp (and even more in this pandemic year). For the past 15 years, Camp Wandawega has been -- and continues to be -- their labor of love as it evolves and grows.

It's rustic...

It's cool...

It's peaceful...

It's adventure-y...

It's creative & crafty...

For real, that's the "Craft Cabin."

And don't think that I didn't think "Knitters' Summer Camp" about a million times while we toured the property!

It's an event venue (in normal times)...

Usually, there are a lot of weddings and corporate events.

It's also just a really cool place to hang out... small clusters of cabins, tents, and unique spaces. History is everywhere.

And they have their own line of Homer Laughlin diner china (among other things).

Serious plotz from this lover/collector of vintage china, especially Homer Laughlin!

It's too bad scheduling didn't work out for Kate to accept the invitation to stay overnight, but who knows what'll happen next...

Our "nature break" this week was going to be at the local nature center that's "right in our own backyard," but instead it turned out to be -- literally -- IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.

Garden clean-up underway! Truthfully, it was mostly Kate and a little Rusty, with observation by me. It doesn't look like much, but there was a lot of cleaning out. Soon, we'll get some mulch for the path and a few more plants.

I'll also be picking up herb & tomato plants from my CSA  in just about 3 weeks! (I'd better start getting ready.)

I had a few more packets of the stuff, so did a little more Kool-Aid dyeing -- also with a couple new ones that I snagged on our last trip to the store -- and just found a couple more that I'd stashed a long time ago. But I think I'm pretty good with what I've dyed so far. I need to spread everything out and double-check all my colors.

I joined Mary's Sunday Knitters Zoom Meet-up yesterday and someone sounded the alarm about Kool-Aid dye and colorfastness! After a little research, my method was good/recommended, but as an extra precaution I'm going to pop it all back into a hot citric acid or vinegar bath.

I finally put stitch markers in to mark the repeats in Romi's Mystery Shawl and, as you might expect, it really helps!! I still have a ways to go before I begin the most recent clue... but I keep plugging away.

I'm also plugging away at my "practice piece" for Safe At Home. It looks a little scary! A lot of those ends are already woven in and just awaiting trimming -- or maybe just a quick run back in the other direction first. I need to knit roofs and skies, and then a border... and then a back (or maybe that could be fabric). I'm thinking rectangular/bolster pillow... and I'm thinking of one for each of my homies. Heh.

It usually all goes out the window when it matters, but...

After adding 60 days in a row, maybe something will stick! Yay Duolingo!

On Saturday, I worked on finishing the Alabama Chanin A-line Tunic that I made with fabric from Spoonflower.

This included learning how to take apart my sewing machine to dislodge stuck fabric. Turns out you're not supposed to "reverse" with a walking foot? I'm sure I did that all the time on my old machine. Hm.

Ali & I also went for our first pedicures of the season. I'm usually a bit more predictable/traditional with red polish, but this is fun! Ali declared, "That says 'VACATION'!"

And with that in mind, I cast on a project that's more portable for vacation. This is another Garter Yoke Baby Cardi for a new baby in the KC&T family. Sonny came a little early and spent his first week in the hospital, but he's home now... and I think he needs a sweater for spring! I love my little honeycomb stitch markers (and especially the cork-topped glass vial that they came in) that I got at Wool & Honey last October when I visited Kym in Michigan. I can't exactly remember the yarn right this second, but I realized that I bought the yarn there, too!

"Finishing" by A-line Tunic had mainly to do with the bottom edge. I didn't necessarily want to hem it, but it needed something. My in-seam pockets are the best I've done, so far, but are still an inch or so too low and I feared that if I actually put something in them, they'd peek out the bottom. I took my cue from an Alabama Chanin Alina tunic that I purchased a while back during a sale.

Basically, I cut 1.75-inch strips to add to the bottom, turning up the seam and top-stitching it in place. Essentially, it adds about 1.25 inches overall, gives a bit of heft at the hem and just looks more finished.

The sleeves (mine are elbow-length) are finished the same way on the Alina tunic, except it's a narrower strip and lightweight jersey was used there.

I still want to fell the seams of my A-line Tunic by hand. I did some and then took it out -- running into difficulty around those pockets, where the seam wants to go forward and I want it to go backward. I think I'm just going to have to go with the flow!

Ali & the kiddos came over for a last get-together before departure -- Kate to Scotland on Tuesday, and Rusty & I to Mexico on Wednesday -- and it began with a video chat with Maddy!

My girls all together at the kitchen table. Heh.

I hope you had a great weekend!

I drove out to Ali's on Friday night to pick up Ginny & Junah for a sleepover! It's pretty much due east through open farm country and it was windy, so there was a lot of blowing snow which made driving... challenging. Saturday was sunny & warm, so it was all-clear by the time I returned them (+ Malina) on Saturday night. Sunday was sunny, too, and warm! Ah.

Ali & Rod brought Malina over on Saturday morning and after she had a nice nap, we got busy doing all sorts of things, including a trip to the candy store! At Christmas, I'd given the kids (and Mack & Addie, too) certificates for custom chocolate bars -- they can choose Milk, Dark, or a blend of chocolate, up to four ingredients (Crunchies, Dried Fruits, Nuts, or Sweets), and optional spices. I'd planned an outing for all of us in December, but then illness threw a wrench into that!

Anyway, after choices are made, you can watch as they blend it altogether and put it in a mold. The table with the blue springs at top right is a shaker table -- they put the bars on there for a few minutes to get air bubbles out, and then it's popped into a freezer for :10 to set.

(That's a looonnnnng ten minutes when you're 6 and almost-4!)

Junah chose Dark Chocolate + Gummy Bears + Marshmallows + Peppermint Pieces + Sprinkles. Verdict? Too sweet, he said!! Ha. Next time, he'll substitute at least one of those sweets with Potato Chips, Pretzels or Rice Cereal.

Ginny chose Milk Chocolate + M&Ms + Marshmallows + Sour Patch Kids + Vanilla Chips. She did not seem to mind the sweetness! Ali had a taste and was surprised when she bit into Sour Patch Kids!

It'll be fun to do it again this summer when the boys are here.

I did some knitting over the weekend, finishing the second sleeve and starting on the back. Last night's progress brought me just about to the raglan decreases. The end is in sight, and I'm so looking forward to a finished sweater!

Tonight, I pick up Kate from her trip to Prague!

I had separate messages from Kate & Annie, both of them telling me about their great travel partner (I already knew that!) and how much fun they had! I can't wait to hear more.

I am so happy that we decided not to skip a visit to Biltmore this time! IMHO, it seemed like a hefty admission price -- even without all the optional add-ons (of which we opted for zero) -- but now that I've visited, I can see why. The house is gorgeous and well-cared for -- loved, even. It's off-season, so there were some things happening, such as refinishing of the wood floor in one of the halls, and repairs to the walls. The walls were plastered and stenciled, so there was a craftsman touching up the paint and it was so cool to watch him for a few minutes! Spring is just barely beginning to spring, so there were obvious signs of work being done in the gardens.

Oh, the gardens!

But first...

Yes, I sprung for the tourist trap photo op!

I took a few photos inside, but honestly, it's difficult to capture -- and, sometimes, I'd just be stunned by what I was seeing that I'd just forget that I even had a camera, or know that I wouldn't be able to capture half (swimming pool, bowling alley, kitchens and store rooms).

This servant's room, with its sweet "counting sheep" garland at the foot of the bed, certainly caught my eye. It was quite a nice room, too, and the staff was paid very well (New York City wages) back in the day.

I shared an orchid-centric post on IG the other day, so I'll (mostly) spare you those photos here. The Conservatory was...

...well, it's February and we came from cold snowy Wisconsin...

...it was so warm and green and colorful! And huge.

I love that orchids can be so different. That little wisp of a thing was quite small, though not the smallest. It was just something to see, as was that BLACK variety. The orchids were mostly gathered in a specific area. There was another amazing flower at every turn!

There was also a separate room for cacti and succulents -- a cool variety of size, color, and texture.

In terms of plant life, there wasn't a whole lot happening in the gardens yet. I was enchanted by the walls with their espalier trees, and was very happy to find blooming hellebores.

The admission price also included trolley transportation to different locations/parking within the estate, and a wine tasting, which we really enjoyed. Overall, I think it would be a very different experience to visit in high summer -- there were definitely people around, but it wasn't crowded in the least and we didn't have to wait for anything.

So, that's pretty much a wrap on our Asheville highlights... except for a word or three about food.

• We enjoyed lunch at Farm Burger on Saturday, knowing that it would be good because we ate there last time, too!
• On Saturday night we went to Sierra Nevada Brewing in nearby Mills River (actually, right in between Asheville and our Airbnb)... and I cannot get over it! It wasn't even on our radar, but we saw the sign a few times and it had good reviews when we searched for nearby dinner options (plus, I'm a huge fan of SNB's Hazy Little Thing) (and now I have some swag)! It was enormous, and the drive/entry to the property was amazing (lighting shaped like hops). We had a little bit of a wait, so went upstairs to the "High Gravity" room and enjoyed a beer and some live music. Our dinner was fantastic!! Along with Biltmore, I would definitely visit SNB on another visit to the area!
• And Ingles. I remembered Ingles from last time... and, I just have to say, what a fantastic "grocery" store. I want one.

I hope you had a great weekend!

We woke up on Saturday to the stickiest, prettiest snow...

There was snow stuck to even the itty-bittiest branches. You can usually still see through the trees a little bit, even when it's snowed like this, but in addition to sticky snow there was zero wind... it was magical, and lasted well into the morning.

Saturday was also a full-fledged Pajama Day! I've had one or two "close" ones in recent weeks. Most of those days have been spent sequestered in my workroom/office, getting caught up on books and prepping for tax time. I'm pretty much ready with Ali's stuff -- her tax lady might faint! And I'm taking a full head of steam into our personal stuff... maybe this is the year that I break the cycle of last-minute filing!

Sunday was a bit more... active. I had departing Airbnb guests, so crossed a few things off of that checklist right away in the morning.

I'd wound up my Bang-out Sweater yarn on Friday, started a sleeve-swatch (I love how it knit up!), and contemplated the knitting ahead. It all clicked on Sunday morning. I frogged my swatch, rewound the ball, and spent a lot of time on Sunday afternoon figuring out the details for the pattern modifications I have in mind. Stay tuned! I'll be casting on again on Saturday -- for real! I'm so excited. It feels like ages since I knit a sweater for myself (though really only a little over a year).

On Sunday night, Ali & I took Junah & Ginny to see Blue Man Group in Appleton.

Our seats were a little "up there"! And the railing seemed awfully low... I never even thought to check what level those box seats were on. For some reason, I was just thinking they were first floor, but we were on the FOURTH! So, a part of the stage was blocked from our view, but it was very cool to see some elements of the show (especially lights) from on high. I made the mistake of parking in a nearby ramp, and it took over an hour to make our exit... Ali took Junah to the bathroom, and then made another trip with both kids to get some food, and I hadn't moved an inch while she was gone either time. I will never make that mistake again!

I couldn't think of any particular day that I'd prefer over another for taking down the tree, and it was really weighing me down, so I just buckled down and did the deed.

It took forever because, y'know, I just wasn't into it, but the majority got done on Saturday, and we packed up and moved the tree downstairs on Sunday morning. I liked the light from the tree, but I really love the wide open!

I usually leave the stockings up long past Christmas -- Easter is my self-imposed deadline -- because I hand-stitched every one and I like to look at them. This year? Christmas is done, man. I'm over it. It's time to move on!

I'd just seen this outside the back door:

...and took it as a sign. Kate made this garland of colorful birds for my mom several years ago and I ran across it while packing up and culling (one whole bag to donate) ornaments & decorations. It seemed like just the thing...

THINKING SPRING!

And speaking of spring/seasons, I've been meaning to share the wonderful gift that I received from Alison -- you can spot it in the photos above.

She had a local artist do four vignettes of our house -- one for each season -- reminiscent of one of our favorite children's books:

Isn't that fab??? I just love it.

And then we did some furniture repair! One of the leaves on this rustic old drop-leaf table was split nearly in two, so we glued and clamped (three different types of clamps) and hopefully it'll hold.

One thing I really wanted to do this month, while Maddy was home, was to have some family photos taken -- because she wasn't here for the session last summer.

I hired Mary, again, to come over and take various group shots, some decorating the tree shots, and some under-the-mistletoe shots. I haven't seen anything official yet, but here's one that I snapped of Ali & her family from the back porch. Junah was MUCH more cooperative than he was last summer.

My tree is still scarcely decorated because, knowing it would be a little crazy, I put out a selected assortment (of mostly nonbreakable) ornaments for the photo ops.

We finally remembered that building gingerbread houses and decorating gingerbread houses are two distinctly different things... needing some time in between. I found a really great kit at Target that had four SMALL structures instead of one big house.

Brilliant on so many levels.

Only three shown because littlest sis apparently thought it would be fun to see what happened when she flung one across the table. She's so FAST!!

After photos and decorating -- the tree & gingerbread houses -- it was time to settle in and watch a little football!!

And (now that it's Thursday) that was our weekend.

Crazy week, month, season...